Scrapbooks Retell The Story Of The Full, Exciting Life Of A World-famous Dancer

May 16, 1985|by MELANIE DEVAULT, The Morning Call

Doris Bay Sanger sits in the cozy kitchen of a dear friend in Allentown, flipping through scrapbooks that tell the story of her life - a full life now 72 years long; a life filled with excitement, with love and inspiration.

Stopping at a picture of a beautiful young woman perched atop a pedestal in an upside down split that would make Mary Lou Retton take notice, Doris laughs, sighs and says, "Oh, that was me years and years and years ago."

The excitement in Doris' life began when she was a young teen-ager in Berlin, Germany, fervently studying acrobatic dance. It spanned decades of performing around the world for devoted fans and royalty, and working with everyone from the Lone Ranger to Liberace.

The love in her life has been family, husband Claude who passed away last year; daughter Claudia, and granddaughter Cassandra, 2 1/2, and many dear friends; friends in Henningsville, her home since 1965, and friends she has made across the Lehigh Valley.

Along side the love, the "inspiration" still runs strong today in Doris, for friends say that's what Doris has always been. While she is undergoing treatment at Allentown Hospital's radiation center for cancer now, the Allentown friend she now spends her days with while daughter Claudia works comments: "She's keeping the patients at the radiation center laughing.

"She can be an inspiration to others, she always has because of her attitude."

That friend, who because she is just that, prefers to be anonymous, adds that Doris' optimism, her positive thinking, herlife is, has been, an inspiration to all.

"She's just always been good to people," Claudia adds.

Doris says the secret, if there is one, to a good, full life is quite simple: "I live good." Glancing at Claudia, she adds, "And I have a loving, supportive daughter."

Her philosophy has always been to keep busy. While she hasn't tried too many splits or handsprings lately, Claudia reminds you that she could still do pretty good a couple of years ago.

"It all came from lots of practice; practice makes perfect," Doris adds.

She should know. Back in those early days in Berlin, she studied acrobatic dance with Takahashi, well-known in Europe, practicing her flexibility routines and acrobatics constantly.

She performed with Takahashi until she was 18. Then, between the ages of 18 and 27, she toured Europe and North Africa performing and garnering rave reviews.

In 1940, at the age of 28, she came to the United States, marrying her sweetheart Claude Sanger who had a popular comedy-dance team.

She continued in vaudeville for a time, with notice wherever she performed. One 1949 Chicago newspaper clipping described her as "a petite star (she says she's almost five feet tall) of difficult contortion dancing" noting she has performed for royalty.

During the 1960s through 1972, the happy husband and wife - who lived in Chicago, New Jersey and Oklahoma before settling in Henningsville their team of huskies, chauffeuring Santa every year.

Doris says her fondest memories are many, including her performances in Europe. There, show business was different, one show a day as opposed to four or five a day in the United States.

But the Las Vegas appearances were a highlight, too, as were the devoted fans.

In her early years in Europe, sheworked for a popular circus for a time and that, too, was exciting.

She recalls one trip to the United States from Germany, before moving to this country, on the Hindenburg, one trip prior to the fatal burning. And being a part of one of the first television broadcasts in Chicago.

Doris enjoys the memories. She enjoys today though, too, putting the ill- effects of radiation treatment in the background as much as possible.

She'll cheerfully tell you she enjoys watching her granddaughter, gardening and playing cards with friends these days - friends who say they well enjoy the company.